Orre, Land that I Loved
by esm8m
Summary: Wes has defeated Team Cipher and Orre is at peace. However, fame is proving to not be much fun... Is the only way to escape it is to leave Orre?
1. Leave Orre?

Author's Note: This is my first fanfic... Constructive criticism is appreciated, especially what I need to improve. Pokémon does not belong to me in the slightest.

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Wes sat on a stool at the counter in Outskirt Stand. It had been about nine months since he had tracked down and snagged the last Shadow Pokémon, a Togetic, at this location. Since then, his life had totally changed. He had been pardoned of all the crimes he had committed as a member of Team Snagem, and people he had never seen recognized him and thanked him for all he had done. It wasn't too bad at first, but as word spread that he was the hero who had stopped Cipher's plans to take over Orre, it had become a headache. When girls who would blush and giggle every time he even glanced at them started following him around, it had become intolerable. He had fled here to Outskirt Stand, and had been here for the better part of a month. Even here, though, people on their way to hikes and expeditions in Orre's largely unexplored frontier would stop and thank him. Some even asked him for an autograph. More disturbingly, he had started to see faces that he knew from his time in Snagem - faces that didn't thank him or wish him well. Faces that blamed him for Snagem's demise. He knew he needed to get out of there before they took his revenge. But he felt that going back to those giggling girls would be just as bad as anything Snagem could do to him.

Wes then let his eyes wander to the TV, preferring not to think about giggling girls and Snagem. The show that was on wasn't particularly interesting, since it was just a rerun of an old show. Hardly anything else was ever shown, since the only station in Orre was the neglected offshoot of some foreign TV network. The last time he had been in Pyrite, he had heard the Kids Grid talking about plans to create a TV network of their own, the logic being something along the lines of everyone watches TV, meaning they could spread true information to more people faster. He approved of this plan, as the news on the current TV station was always out of date and hardly ever concerned with Orre. Still, pretty much the only thing to do in this broken-down train in the middle of nowhere was watch TV. So he sat there and pondered his next course of action, which at the moment was doing absolutely nothing.

A voice interrupted his thinking.

"You know, just because you did one great thing, your life isn't over." Wes looked up. It was the owner of Outskirt Stand, a tough man whose realistic view of life endeared him to many of the explorers who roamed Orre's frontier, looking for a vein of gold like the one that created Pyrite and the Under.

"What do you mean?" Wes asked.

"All day, you just sit here, looking like you think your life is over. It isn't. Go to a city and find your destiny." Wes sighed.

"I'm here because there is nothing for me in the big cities but problems. I get stopped every two feet by people who want to thank me, and girls follow me around. It became too much for me to stand."

"You aren't the only one with those problems, you know. Justy, Duking, the mayor of Phenac... All three have people thanking them and asking for advice all the time."

"Yes, but... Those people have jobs, things to do that keep them in the city. I don't." There was a pause as the man thought.

"Well, why don't you leave Orre?" Wes jumped up, angry.

"Leave Orre! What do you mean, leave Orre!?" Then his sudden burst of energy left him, and he sat back down, head in his hands. "Besides, I would be just as well known anywhere else."

"No, you wouldn't. The people in the other regions don't care what happens in Orre. They think only dreamers and people with nowhere else to go come here. They dismiss our colosseums as old-fashioned, saying that they pale in comparison to gyms and Pokémon Leagues. They claim only people who can't get into their prestigious Trainer's Schools go to the Pre Gym. They won't care if you are the hero who saved Orre. You would have to prove yourself like any novice trainer. And you could. I've seen you fight. You could probably become the Champion in one of their ever-so-great leagues." Wes was stunned at the man's speech.

"But... Orre... It's my home... I... can't leave it..."

"But under the current circumstances, you can't stay. Sometimes, to get further, you need to leave behind what is familiar. Now go! I don't want to see you again until you are a League Champion!" So Wes left the broken-down train, his Umbreon and Espeon trailing behind.

Wes sat on one of the wagon wheels that were scattered around Outskirt Stand, wondering where he could go now. All of the caves that used to be his hideouts he knew he could not go to anymore - he had been told of them by Snagem, and the members would surely attack him if he went to them. But he didn't want to go back to Phenac or Pyrite. He sighed. Perhaps he should follow the man's advice. But he didn't know how to leave Orre, having never needed or wanted to do so. Suddenly an idea shot through his head. Agate! It had its fair share of famous people, so he wouldn't be bugged, and Eagun, not being from Orre, surely would know how to leave it! Wes got up and strode toward his hoverbike, his Umbreon and Espeon trailing behind, ready to go blasting through the desert to Agate.


	2. Preparations

Author's Note: Sorry about how long it took to get this up, but you'll probably need to get used to it. This will probably happen again at least once. Since I haven't played Colosseum in a while, and don't particularly feel like playing it all over again, please tell me if you see any glaring errors with anything. Thanks.

**Uchina**: Thanks. This is really just my first posted fanfic, not really my first one. But it seems like it in some ways. While there will be animé references, there will be no Ash. Although I agree that Wes could beat Ash any day.

**Infinite Freedom**: Yes and probably not. Just keep reading.

* * *

Wes's mind started to drift off as he steered the bike across the desert. It was quite monotonous, really, with only the occasional rock formation to break the endless sand. It had been quite a while since he had gone to Agate and seen Eagun and Beluh. Rui would be there too, he realized. She was going to stay in Orre for a year with her grandparents, and it had only been eleven months since she arrived. Rui... She was an interesting person. He had figured out pretty quickly that she wasn't from Orre, but hadn't figured out from where until he had asked...

It had been the end of the first day of their adventure. They had figured out that in order to find out any more about the mysterious 'Shadow Pokémon', they had to enter a colosseum challenge. Unfortunately, there wouldn't be one until the next day. Wes would have preferred sleeping outside near his bike - no need to pay for rooms of doubtful quality, it would discourage thieves, and he could see the stars. But he doubted Rui would like that, so he went to the hotel. The receptionist had informed them there was only one room, but had said with a wink "that would probably be fine by you, anyways." Rui's eyes had widened with panic at this, obviously wondering if it was a good idea to stay with her 'knight in shining armor', but he ignored her and paid. She had relaxed a bit when they reached the cramped and dirty room and Wes just flopped down on the floor, not even taking off the Snag Machine. However, that look quickly changed to one of discomfort. Wes quickly interpreted it, and rolled over, burying his face in his arms.

"All right. You can get changed or do whatever you need to. I won't look."

"Thanks. But it won't be necessary for long... I'm not sure what happened to my stuff when those creeps kidnaped me." Then there was rustling, obviously her getting ready. After a bit of rustling, there was the creak of bed springs. A moment passed.

"Are you all right sleeping on the floor like that?" Wes was touched by her concern, but dismissed it.

"Yeah. I've slept in worse places. But I've been meaning to ask you... Where are you from?" There was a moment of silence.

"How could you tell I wasn't from Orre?" Wes chuckled.

"It's easy. You didn't recognize Phenac, you forgave me for being part of Snagem, you were traveling alone with no Pokémon but went to Pyrite anyways, and you have an accent." Another pause as Rui digested this information.

"You're quite observant. I'm from Kanto." Wes's mind reached back to his admittedly sparse geography lessons.

"Kanto... That's the one east of Johto, with the famed Indigo League that a whole bunch of trainers brag about beating, right?" Wes heard a partially stifled giggle.

"Yes, that's it. I didn't know trainers bragged about beating it."

"Yeah. A lot of trainers who just arrived will be all 'I beat the Indigo League, the hardest and best league in the world! Your pathetic colosseums mean nothing to me!' ...Most of them get trounced." Another giggle.

"I doubt most of them actually ever beat the League." Wes thought about this.

"True. But what are you doing here? I got the impression from those trainers that Kantonians were all stuck up and regarded Orre as pathetic."

"True, most do... But I'm here to visit someone." Wes decided not to pursue that particular topic.

"That explains the traveling alone. But with no Pokémon?"

"Not everyone is a Pokémon Trainer." There was a certain tenseness to her voice as she said that, so Wes didn't say anything for a bit. To him, it was an odd thought to not be a Pokémon Trainer. He had spent so many years with Espeon and Umbreon by his side that it was odd to think of not having them. Rui interrupted his thoughts.

"We have a lot to do tomorrow, especially you. We should get some sleep."

"True. Good night, Rui." Wes felt a little odd for saying that, but he couldn't not say it.

"Good night, Wes."

Wes's thoughts jerked back to the present as he saw the terrain gradually get greener and less craggy. He would be there soon. It would be nice to see Rui again. She was much cooler than those girls who had trailed him, and fun to be around, too. He had never minded traveling with her that much.

Wes arrived at Agate Village and turned off the engine of his hoverbike. He got off and walked into town, knowing he could just leave the hoverbike there. Agate was a safe town, with few crimes, so it wouldn't get stolen. He strode across the bridge that marked the entrance to Agate and continued walking toward Eagun's house. No one stopped him. They all knew who he was and what he had done. He reached Eagun's house and entered. Eagun, Beluh, and Rui were sitting at the table in the kitchen. It looked like they had just finished lunch. Eagun, having heard the sound of the door opening, had turned around and was looking at the door.

"Oh, Wes. Come on in! Why are you here?" Wes got straight to the point.

"I need to leave Orre, and I was hoping you could tell me how."

"Ships coming to and from Orre are quite rare, but there's one leaving from Gateon for Kanto next month. We've already booked passage for Rui on it. We could probably get a ticket for you. But why do you need to leave Orre?" There was a pause.

"I'm too famous now. People won't leave me alone. In some other region, that probably won't be the case." Eagun nodded.

"I understand. I know that problem all too well... I would guess that you would like to stay in Agate until the boat departs?"

"That would be nice, yes. I doubt many people could follow me here."

"No, not many people come here, even though there are many famous people here. I doubt you would attract any more than the others. There's no room here, but there's always the Pokémon Center. Well, I'll go see if there are any tickets left." And with that, Eagun left. Wes looked at the floor, somewhat embarrassed.

"Sorry I walked in on your lunch..." He mumbled, barely audible.

"It's fine. We're happy to help you." Smiling, Beluh put the empty plates into the sink, then she too left. That left just Wes and Rui.

"...So, you're going to Kanto." Rui stated. Wes nodded.

"I always thought you didn't think that highly of Kanto." She remarked.

"Well, no... But it can't be any worse than the attention I'm getting from fame."

"I definitely don't think it is, but I'm from there. What would I know?" She then thought a bit.

"What's so bad about fame, anyway?" She sounded genuinely curious.

"Well, people talk to me all the time. I can't just go and do stuff without being stopped. And after a bit, some girls started following me and giggling every time I looked at them... That was the worst part." Rui was looking at him a little suspiciously.

"Girls?" She sounded a little... Well, accusing. That wasn't good.

"They were really annoying. Some were even a little creepy, how they always followed me but said nothing. You're much cooler." He said, a bit rushed, trying to explain.

"Ah. Well, if they were annoying, it's good that you're leaving." Another pause followed.

"Will you enter the Indigo League?"

"I'll be there, so I might as well. See how good a trainer I really am."

"You're a wonderful trainer. I've seen enough battles to know that."

"In Orre. But what if those stuck-up foreign trainers are right about the Indigo League being the home of the strongest trainers?"

"I've heard Sinnoh is quite hard too. But, really, it doesn't matter. There are hundreds of trainers who don't make it to the top, and they are fine. Besides, Champions become celebrities. Nonstop coverage and all that, at least for a few months. Isn't that what you are running from?" She smiled, showing that she was teasing him a bit. Wes smiled back. Rui had always been able to put him at ease.

"I suppose. But I'll always wonder just how good I really am unless I try to get to the top." Rui shook her head.

"That's one thing I'll never get about trainers... Still, despite that, it's nice to know you

will be coming with me to Kanto."

"It will be nice to know someone there instead of being totally confused."

"Yes, that's always nice." Rui said, still smiling, "Knowing the customs so you don't appear to be a total foreigner is always nice too, as I found out."

"...So how much would I stick out in Kanto?" He said, slightly resigned to sticking out quite a bit.

"Very much. Have you ever done a single battle? I've never seen you do one." Wes shook his head.

"It's very rare here in Orre. Not sure why, but only foreigners ask for single battles."

"It's the other way around in Kanto. The only double battles I've ever seen have happened either because two trainers wanted to face one trainer and were too impatient to wait, or a teacher and student battling as a pair so the student could learn more easily." Wes frowned at this. He would have to completely retool his strategy to work in that environment.

"Also, no one uses anything that hovers. Even cars in general are rare, with the only use being when people move from one house to another. So something like your hoverbike, which is an oddity even here, would be totally unheard of at home."

"I'll have to leave it here, then. But where?" Rui thought a bit.

"Well... I have heard that a Parts Shop is opening in Gateon, run by the same people as the one in the Under. I suppose you could sell it to them."

"Sell... my hoverbike?" Wes echoed. It would make sense, because it would be stolen if it was just laying in Gateon and he probably wouldn't be back for a while, if ever, but... Sell his hoverbike? The one that had served him so faithfully for so many years? Rui broke into his thoughts.

"It was just an idea." She had obviously caught onto the doubt in his voice, which wasn't particularly surprising - she was good at reading people. She continued. "Besides, we'll need it to get to Gateon. So that doesn't merit much thinking until then." Wes nodded. That made sense.

"Is that all, or am I obvious in more ways?"

"Well, your appearance..."

"No one looks like this in Orre either. I'm used to getting weird looks because of that."

"You have an accent, too, but you can't do anything about that. There's probably more, but I can't think of any..."

"So... I'll stick out no matter what I do?"

"Pretty much. It shouldn't matter too much, though, as plenty of weird types are Pokémon Trainers. Compared to some of them, you seem normal." Wes knew he seemed quite odd to others, even in Orre, which attracted odd types with its dreams of hidden riches. Therefore, the thought of people that made him seem normal was slightly frightening. Slightly. But compared to Cipher, Snagem, and giggling girls, weird people were nothing. At this moment, Eagun walked in. He looked over at the two, as if assessing if this was a good time to interrupt. Evidently he found that it was.

"There are tickets remaining on the boat. I got one for Wes, so everything is finalized." Rui's eyes lit up, obviously happy that Wes was definitely coming to Kanto with her. Wes was grateful for Eagun's help.

"Thanks... Do you want me to repay you for the cost?" Eagun shook his head.

"No, no, it's fine. There's no need."

"If you say so..." Wes looked at the ground, thoroughly humbled by Eagun's generosity. There was silence for a moment, and then Wes spoke again.

"I need to go and gather my thoughts... Figure out what I need to be ready to go to Kanto. I'll see you later." He left, and walked over to a cliff on the edge of town, beyond the Pokémon Mart. He sat down on the ledge, legs dangling over. He stared at the clouds. Kanto... It was so far away, and so different. Even hearing Rui explain the land made that fact apparent. Yet... Even the cultural differences couldn't make it worse than constant fame, could it? And entering the Indigo League would be interesting. A new challenge, which had been absent from his life recently. Ever since he had beaten Mt. Battle a few months ago, every trainer who had challenged him had been a pushover. Hopefully, the same would not be true of the Indigo League. He sighed, resting his hand on his right hand. The edge of his Go-Goggles bumped up against his hand. He wouldn't need those in Kanto... That country had no deserts. He would miss them, with their endless expanses, begging to be explored. It would be different. But Rui would be there to explain customs he didn't understand, and Espeon and Umbreon would be there to reassure and support him, like they always had been. With their support, he knew he could manage.

He sat there like that for a few hours, just thinking. When he noticed an orange tinge spreading across the sky, he realized just how long he had been sitting there. He got up and stretched, a little sore from sitting so long. He then walked off to the Pokémon Center, because he had found out when he had first come here that it offered free food and beds for trainers.

He arrived at the Pokémon Center and walked through the automatic doors. The nurse there recognized him from the many times he had stopped to switch out a purified Pokémon for a shadow Pokémon.

"Hello, Wes. Did you get in a battle?" Those were the other times he had stopped by. Despite the fact that Agate was supposed to be a town for retired trainers, most of them were still willing to battle.

"No. I would like to stay here for the next month or so. Is that all right?"

"There shouldn't be a problem. We have plenty of rooms at the moment." She opened a drawer in the counter and looked at the contents. She then reached in and took out a key. She handed it to Wes.

"You'll be in room 4." Wes took the key and nodded. Then, a question hit him.

"Is it possible to access the PC from other regions?" The nurse looked at him curiously, but didn't ask.

"Yes, you can. All of the PC data for trainers are stored in several servers all around the globe. However, the options might be a bit different. Everyone can store the same amount of data, but the quality of the connection determines how much you can access. The connection we have here isn't that great. We've wanted to upgrade it for years, but there's no money. Maybe in a few years..." The nurse seemed resigned to having a bad connection. Wes felt a little overwhelmed by how much she had told him, but he had gotten his question answered.

"Okay, thank you." He then walked off to his room. He would come back and get something to eat later, but for now he needed to clean out his bag. In absence of access to a PC to store items, it had become a little stuffed.


	3. Departure

Author's Note: I'm sorry this took so long. I have no excuse - I was just lazy.

* * *

A month passed peacefully, with few happenings. Wes fell into a pattern, but the thought of leaving for Kanto always lurked in the back of his mind. Finally, the day arrived.

Wes woke up. It was still dark, so he reached out and felt around on the table for his PDA. Feeling it, he grabbed it. He turned it on and checked the time. It was 7:30. Definitely early, since the ship didn't leave until 12, but the extra time gave him before having to leave was a good thing. He sat up, stretched, then slid off the bed and put on his blue overcoat. Then he glanced around, making sure no one was there. A part of his mind ridiculed him for that, saying of course no one was there, but he had gotten into the habit at Outskirt Stand. Doors didn't always lock there, and even if they did that didn't necessarily mean anything. Assured that no one was there, he pulled a bundle out from behind the pillow and unrolled it to reveal the Snag Machine. He knew Team Snagem wanted it back, which was why he was so careful. For a bit after stealing it, he had worn it all the time because he was so paranoid. Now he had relaxed enough to only wear it while he was awake. He finished buckling the straps that held it on his left arm, grabbed his pack, and walked out of the room, locking it behind him.

"Hello!" The nurse greeted him cheerfully. She had disposed of the formal greeting because he had been staying here so long.

"Hello." He replied, walking up to the counter. He pulled the keys out of his pocket and handed them over.

"I'm moving on. Can't stay in one place all the time." Although this was not the total truth, Wes did not want to explain everything. She nodded, accepting this explanation, and took the keys.

"Will you return soon?" She asked casually. There was a hint of sadness in her voice, though, that hinted she wanted him to come back. It was this that made Wes look at the floor, a bit ashamed for leaving.

"Probably not... I might never come back."

"All right... Just remember, there's always a place for you in Agate." She said this gently, not judging him. There was slight bit of worry coloring her tone, but that was all.

"Okay... Thanks. Good-bye." He started to leave. When he reached the door, he turned around and did a small wave. A small smile appeared on her face, and she waved back. He then left.

Wes entered Eagun's house, not quite sure what to expect. Eagun, Beluh, and Rui were in the living room, near the table. Rui had her back to the door, and the other two were facing her. She had a messenger bag slung over one shoulder, and a wheeled suitcase sat next to her. It was relatively large, coming up to just above her knee. This kind of amused Wes, because other than his item bag, all he had was a beaten-up backpack. Eagun noticed him.

"So, Wes, you're ready to go?" Wes nodded, somewhat afraid his resolve would waver if he spoke.

"All right, then. Good luck. If you make it to the final tournament, I'll be rooting for you!" Wes smiled.

"Thanks. Rui, you ready to go?"

"Yeah. Let's go." She turned around, grabbed the suitcase, and started heading for the door. Wes followed.

"Wes, take care of Rui!" Beluh instructed. Rui rolled her eyes, but Wes smiled.

"I'll try." He promised.

When they reached the hoverbike, they stopped. Wes looked at the suitcase, then at the hoverbike. How would it fit on? Then, inspiration struck. He pulled his backpack out from the passenger's seat, and rummaged around in it. He pulled a coil of rope from the backpack and tied the suitcase to the back of the hoverbike. Rui eyed it suspiciously.

"You sure that will hold?" Wes smiled sheepishly.

"No, but it'll have to do. It won't fit anywhere else." Rui still looked suspicious, but apparently had been pacified.

"All right." She climbed into the passenger's seat, and Wes got on. He started the engine, and the hoverbike went flying off to the south, toward Gateon.

For a while, the only sounds that punctuated the silence were those the hoverbike made. The hum of the engine, the clink of the sand against the metal, the wind rushing past, and the rattle of the suitcase on its unstable perch. Then, Rui spoke.

"You know, I kind of missed this." She sounded wistful. Wes kept his eyes ahead. Running into a rock at this speed would be bad.

"Really?" He was genuinely curious. He hadn't thought she liked this.

"Mm-hmm... The desert is kind of mesmerizing."

"Yeah... I'll miss it." He said this quietly, barely audible above the sounds of the hoverbike. He felt a hand on his back, and while he didn't look, he knew it must be Rui.

"Maybe you should go to Hoenn, then. They have a desert there. It's not as big as the one here, but..." The volume of her voice matched Wes's, and he could tell she was trying to comfort him. He shrugged.

"Well, I need to get to Kanto first, anyway. And don't you remember? I'm supposed to take care of you." He said the last two sentences sarcastically, emphasizing the absurdity of the idea. Rui chuckled.

"Yeah, by grandmother can be kind of paranoid. Especially about cruise ships. I don't know why, especially because she likes the ocean..."

"Well, she's a grandmother. Isn't that what they are supposed to do?"

"Yeah, I guess so. It can just get kind of annoying." She sounded slightly exasperated, as if she knew that all too well.

"I'm not surprised." Wes said simply. Then, they once again fell silent.

Arriving at Gateon, Wes jumped off, while Rui got off in a more dignified manner. He had already untied the rope holding the suitcase on, and set it on the ground. He grabbed his backpack from the passenger's seat, slung it over one shoulder, then locked up the hoverbike. He surveyed the city, his expression a mix of determination and distrust. He heard Rui's footsteps and the sound of the wheels on the ground behind him. He sighed, still facing forward.

"Come on. Let's get this over with." He strode into town, trying to look confident. Rui followed him, her pace a bit slower.

"Wes?" She called.

"Mmm?" He glanced back, slowing his pace a bit.

"Where are we going?"

"The Parts Shop."

"...Do you know the way?" Wes stopped.

"...No." He sounded reluctant to admit this.

"You should ask for directions, then."

"...I guess." He sounded even more reluctant to do so. However, he still looked around and went up to the person he found.

"Hello. Do you know the way to the Parts Shop?" This was said in a polite tone, with little emotion. The man's eyes widened in recognition.

"Hey, you're Wes, aren't you? That guy who beat that Cipher thing? Can you give me an autograph? Please?" The speed of the talking had steadily accelerated as the man became more certain of who it was. Rui started giggling at the absurdity of this, so Wes turned around and shot her a look. When she had quieted a bit, he turned back around.

"...I guess. I'll need a pen, though."

"Oh, right!" The man dug furiously in his pockets, and came out with a pen and a crumpled piece of paper. He thrust them at Wes. "Here!" Wes took the offered items and hastily scribbled his signature. He handed back the pen and paper.

"So, which way was the Parts Shop again?" Wes asked casually, trying to get the information he actually needed.

"Oh, right, right! It's that way." The man pointed, then ran off, clearly excited with his brush with fame. Rui walked up, smiling broadly.

"You're quite the celebrity now, aren't you?" Her tone implied that she was teasing.

"Tell me about it." Wes muttered, ignoring the implied teasing. He drew his coat closer around himself as if it could fend off being recognized and looked down. "Let's go." They walked over to the Parts Shop and entered. Rui looked around.

"This place is much nicer than the one in the Under." Wes looked up, and briefly glanced around.

"Yeah, it is." He walked up to the counter. Perr was standing there, looking kind of bored.

"Hello, Perr." Perr perked up a bit.

"Hi, Wes. What brings you here?" Wes carefully considered the question.

"I'm leaving Orre, and, obviously, I can't take my hoverbike. I thought you guys might buy it." Perr looked at Wes. He seemed a little confused.

"Yeah, we can buy it. But why would you want to leave? You're famous! Everyone loves you because of what you've done. In the Under, everyone knew you!"

"That's exactly why I want to leave!" Wes sounded kind of tired. "I don't like being so famous. It gets annoying." Perr didn't look convinced.

"Well, if that works for you... Grandpa! Come down here!" Makan didn't come down. Instead, he called down.

"What's the problem?" He sounded annoyed, as if he had been torn from something he had been working hard on.

"Someone wants to sell something!" There was a slight pause.

"All right, I'm coming down!" Makan came down the steps, stopping next to Perr. "So, what's the deal?" He still seemed a little impatient.

"Wes wants to sell his hoverbike." Perr summarized, gesturing at Wes. That seemed to catch Makan's interest, as he snapped his head over to where Wes was.

"Oh, I didn't notice you! So, you want to sell your hoverbike, huh? That's good... Those are full of interesting parts." Makan's eyes had taken on a bit of a maniacal glow. "Lead on, Wes!" Wes didn't know Makan very well, so his sudden interest caught him somewhat off guard. Nonetheless, he nodded.

"It's outside of town. If you'll follow me..." Wes walked out of the shop, out to the outskirts of town. As he walked through the main area, he noticed a few stares. Obviously the man he had asked for directions had spread the news of his arrival... He inwardly sighed, but kept going. There was no point in hiding.

After what seemed to be much too long being stared at, the little group arrived at the hoverbike. Makan immediately rushed over and started examining it. The other three stood to the side, trying not to get in the way. His head popped up from looking at the engine, and he asked Wes to put the bike through its paces. He complied. Makan's eyes took in the hoverbike's motion eagerly.

"The inner workings are in surprisingly good condition, considering its appearance. How about... 3000 Pokédollars?"

Wes turned off the hoverbike and got off, his face impassive. He rested his hand on the handlebars fondly.

"If that's how much you think it's worth..." Makan nodded.

"Let's go back to the shop to finish this." Wes nodded, and walked toward the city. For a moment, though, he turned back around and looked at the hoverbike, remembering everything he had done with it. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on." Rui whispered to him. He turned back to the city and continued.

After completing the necessary business transactions at the shop, Wes and Rui set off for the ship. As soon as they left the shop, a group of girls seemingly detached themselves from the wall of the shop and started walking a few paces behind them. Wes tried to ignore the girls, knowing that they would eventually leave, but Rui kept looking back at them, apparently more angry every time.

"I've had enough of this." She finally muttered, and turned around. Wes stopped and waited reluctantly.

"Why are you following us?" She yelled at the girls, glaring at them. All the girls started talking to each other at once, their conversations punctuated by giggling, then one stepped out toward her.

"Because we want to know what you are doing with our Wes." She said it seriously, ignoring the absurdity of the statement. Wes flinched back, reminded of just how creepy these girls could be when they wanted to. Rui was unfazed, though.

"Your Wes? And what makes you think you can claim ownership over him?" Rui's tone was almost mocking, but her anger was still clearly evident. The group of girls seemed to be at a loss for words for a bit, trying to think of a good response.

"Because we like him more than anyone else ever will!" One girl finally retorted. Rui rolled her eyes.

"There's no point in arguing with people like you." Guessing the argument was over, Wes started toward the ship again, and Rui turned around and followed. Thankfully, the group of girls did not follow, obviously shaken by Rui's casual dismissal of them.

Wes and Rui boarded the ship, and about an hour later it was on its way. Everyone was on deck, watching as Gateon faded away. Some were waving to friends and family still on shore, but most were simply contemplating. There was no turning back now. They were on their way to Kanto.


End file.
